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Cellphone tells the world what mode you're in

Sneaking off work early for Friday afternoon drinks will soon be made easier by a mobile phone system that will tell your boss you’re still at work while letting your friends know you’re on your way.

The Swarm system, being developed by Christine Satchell at the University of Melbourne, Australia, connects groups of users, allowing people to keep track of what their friends and colleagues are up to, and whether it’s a good time to call them. A colour-coded icon allows users to tell people which of six activities they are engaged in&colon; holiday, social, driving, leisure, sleep or work. Adding icons such as a cocktail glass to indicate a bar can provide extra information.

Swarm also enables people to put contacts in different groups, such as “work” or “friend”, allowing different information to be given to each.